And the darkness faded
by i1976 - blu notte
Summary: Mamoru will become King, and Usagi Queen. The Shitennou know it, so they are going to help their Master to fulfill his destiny and to protect the future Queen. Even if they are just spirits, they won't let their Master be defeated; they won't let the Senshi surrender to the Black Moon. BASED ON SMC, act18 (the unsaid and unseen), plus a glimpse at the manga's end of Black Moon Arc.


**Based on SAILOR MOON CRYSTAL, act18. ****The final part is based on the manga's end of the Black Moon Arc, instead, with a 'surprise' **

* * *

**AND THE DARKNESS FADED**

Minako stared at the city outside her bedroom's window. She caressed Artemis' head, "I haven't be able to save Mars, Mercury and Jupiter. How can I be their leader?" Usagi's tears were heavy on her heart, "I can't stand to see Usagi crying."

"The Black Moon is really strong, Minako. You can't blame yourself for what happened to Mars, Mercury and Jupiter."

Minako nodded, "I know, Artemis. The Black Moon is a strong enemy. I hope Mamoru-san is going to find something more about them, through that black earring."

"The psychic power of Mamoru is really strong, and for sure he's going to find something helpful. Don't forget what he said about Mars, Mercury and Jupiter, too: he feels they are still alive. We can save them."

Minako sighed, "This is the only positive thing, right now. I am glad Mamoru can feel the girls."

Artemis nodded, "Mamoru can probably feel a lot of things though he doesn't know his full power, yet."

Minako closed her eyes and her worried features melted into a sad smile, "You know, Artemis, I would have liked to have Kunzite and the other guys by our side, now. For sure they could help Mamoru-san."

Artemis stared at Minako, thoughtfully, before to speak, "The Shitennou are dead, Minako. They were powerful and faithful Knights, and I perfectly understand your feelings. But Queen Metallia killed them after they regained their memories; they can't help us."

Minako opened her eyes and turned serious, "I perfectly know it, Artemis. But I can't help remembering their voices after Metallia killed them, their voices as they were before Queen Beryl turned them evil, their voices as they used to be. Their bodies were gone, but their spirits were there, in that cave. I heard their voices, and also Mars, Mercury and Jupiter. I can't help but wondering if their spirits are still somewhere out there." She stared at the night outside the window, "Some night ago, in my sleep, I heard Kunzite's voice; I don't remember his words but I know he was reassuring me. Just a dream 'cause I miss him, I guess." She stood up and walked to the window, "I would have liked to have the Shitennou by our side, to have Kunzite by my side, with his advises, but it seems I have to count just on myself." She turned round and look at Artemis, smiling and winking, "Sailor Venus is going to save the Princess and the other Senshi. I promise you. I can be strong. I am strong!"

Artemis smiled sweetly, "You are the strongest Senshi, Minako."

* * *

Sitting on the couch, his elbows on his knees, Mamoru stared at the foggy emanation coming out the box on the table. Slowly, the emanation faded, leaving him alone, just him and the fragments of four stones: green, pink-violet, gray and blue.

"_We believe in your power, Master!"_

Mamoru stood up and walked to the window. He looked down at his open hands, "My power? What power? I don't think to have any sort of power." He clenched his fists and frowned, "How can I protect Usagi?" He stared outside the window, "Kunzite! Jadeite! Nephrite! Zoisite! I miss you. If you had been here, with your powers, maybe things would have gone in a different way; maybe you would have saved Mars, Mercury and Jupiter." He had a disappointed smile: the only positive thing was that Mars, Mercury and Jupiter were still alive; the Shitennou revealed it to him the first time he called them for advice, and he revealed it to Minako and Usagi in order to encourage them, though he preferred to keep the source of that revelation secret.

He walked to the small box containing the black earring, "The Black Moon. Space-time distortion? What does it mean? Are Mars, Mercury and Jupiter in another space-time dimension? Is it why Artemis and Luna can't find their position?"

* * *

"Have you found something about the Rabbit?" Prince Demand stared at Wiseman and then at the Senshi's bodies floating in the Room of Darkness.

"They are really stubborn. When people face their fears and painful memories, they usually surrender, but not them. They don't surrender to my illusions."

Demand folded his arms and rested his back against the wall, an evil smile on his face, "Even now they are really strong, as in the future. But they'll surrender; they can't resist the Black Moon's power. Not for so long."

* * *

Trapped in the darkness, Mars' heart was going to crack for pain.

Wasn't she able to face her painful past?

Her mother. Her father. And finally Jadeite, the peaceful and sweet image of the Knight of Patience and Harmony replaced by the evil General of the Dark Kingdom.

"_STOP IT, JADEITE! YOU ONCE LOVED ME! AND I LOVE YOU!"_ Her words exploded into her mind but she wasn't able to voice them; around her, an icy city while she tried to avoid his hits.

"_STOP IT! JADEITE!"_

The icy city faded, replaced by a dark cave.

She stared at Jadeite lying on the ground; she stared at him slowly standing up; she stared at his eyes on her, and in his eyes she recognized the Knight she once loved. She smiled, her heart bursting of joy for having back the man she loved.

A dark-violet blast killed her joy, and her heart burst now of pain; she pressed her hands on her face streaked with tears and sobbed for the loss of the man she loved.

How many times was she going to face it? Her heart couldn't stand it anymore.

"_You can't resist to your painful past. You can't avoid this pain. Tell me where's the Rabbit, and your pain will stop."_

What's the darkness and cold around her? What's the evil voice whispering in her ear?

The evil voice was replaced by the calm and sweet voice of Jadeite, _"Resist Mars, you aren't alone,"_ and the cold was replaced by his warm arms around her waist and his body close to her. And the darkness faded, replaced by a sunny day and a sweet memory.

* * *

"There's something interfering with my power."

Prince Demand blinked, "Interfering?"

"Since the first time I have tried to win over them with my illusions, an unknown force is acting as a sort of shield, protecting them." Wiseman's voice turned cold and cold.

"A shield protecting them?" Demand averted his eyes from Wiseman and stared at the Senshi floating in the darkness, "Interesting."

* * *

The darkness faded around the Senshi when the Shitennou's spirits held them close, protecting them from Wiseman's illusion.

The darkness faded around Mercury, replaced by a sunny day, just her with Zoisite sitting on a bench at the Earth Court. She listened to his young and pleasant voice, never sated with his speech and innate elegance as he talked to her about Earth's culture.

The darkness faded around Jupiter, replaced by a sunny day, the arms of Nephrite wrapped around her waist while he hugged her from behind, his deep and self confident voice in her ear as he told her things that made her blush both for happiness and embarrass.

And the darkness faded around Mars, replaced by a sunny day, the blue sky above her while she was sitting under a tree, Jadeite behind her and his arms around her chest, no need to talk. She rested her head against his chest and closed her eyes, enjoying the breeze caressing her cheek while she fell asleep and, after the breeze, Jadeite's soft touch.

* * *

Mamoru closed the box containing the four fragments of gemstones, "Thank you, Kunzite, Jadeite, Nephrite, Zoisite! The day I'll become King, and Usagi will become Queen, we'll find a way to bring you back to life. Somehow, we will meet again in the future, I want to believe it."

* * *

**we will meet again in the future, I want to believe it**

* * *

"MARS! MERCURY! JUPITER!"

Sailor Moon's voice called them, and they finally woke up, in their minds just confused dreams as memory of their time spent in the Room of Darkness.

It was time for another fight against the Black Moon, a fight to win, finally and definitively.

* * *

The final fight, and the final victory.

Sailor Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus and Tuxedo Kamen looked at their future, distant and foggy but still visible: King Endymion, Neo-Queen Serenity, the future Senshi and, behind the future Senshi …

Tuxedo Kamen and the Senshi opened their eyes wide trying to pierce the fog.

… behind the future Senshi ... the Shitennou?

The vision faded before they could watch it closely.

_we will meet again in the future, I know it_

* * *

**_This is how I want the Black Moon Arc end! _****_Why adding the Senshi/Shitennou thing in Dark Kingdom Arc and then totally forget about it?_**

**_PLEASE REVIEW! :-) _**


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